Article of manufacture and method for detachably securing two or more garment items together

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for attaching and detaching a first item and a second item of garments together includes a base member, a first filament having a first end, an opposing second end, and an intermediate portion formed between the opposing first and second ends. A second filament having a first end is attached to the base member. An opposing second end of the second filament is detachably secured to the intermediate portion of the first filament, where the second end of the second filament is formed as a hinge, and wherein the first and second filaments are movable relative to each other.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for fasteninggarments, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for securingtwo or more articles of clothing, such as paired garments together sothat they are not lost or separated, illustratively during a laundryprocess.

2. Description of the Related Art

It is oftentimes difficult to keep pairs of clothing items together whenthey are laundered or stored, or even when displayed for sale at retailoutlets. At times, pairs of clothing items, most commonly socks, willbecome separated and one of the paired items becomes lost during alaundering process. In addition, while folding socks for storage afterlaundering, it is often difficult to sort matching pairs together, asthere may be only slight variances in color, fabric patterns and/orsizes. Several known devices and innovations for securing garmentstogether, such as socks, have been developed and patented to addressthese issues.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,051 discloses a nylon loop which has its opposingends joined to swivel couplings that can be mated together. The swivelcouplings include a threaded bore and an opposing screw that is threadedinto the bore. During use, holes are formed in sock pairs to receive theprojecting end of the screw, and a leading end of the screw threadedinto the bore. Although, the holed sock pairs are held together forstoring, laundering or like between the swivel couplings, the fabricmaterial of the socks can get wrapped around the threads of the screw,and thereby become permanently damaged as the screw portion is beingthreaded into the bore.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,503,591 discloses a circular loop made of stainlesssteel spring wire, which loop has one end mounting a locking member sothat the other end of the loop may be inserted in the locking member tolock the two ends together and prevent separation of the articles storedon the loop. The pointed end of the loop slides into a U-shaped channelin the locking member for locking the two ends together, to therebyprevent separation of the articles of clothing. However, the pointed endof the loop can easily become disengaged from the U-shaped channelduring the laundry process, which can result in separation of the pairedgarments, as well as damage to other articles of clothing beinglaundered.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,775,849 provides a method for releasably binding pairedarticles together by using short strips or tabs, coated with a filmadhesive on one side, adhesively-bonded at both ends to the top outsideedge of paired cloth items to form a loop on each item (or garmentitem). The pair of socks is joined by a connector threaded through theloop on each sock and locked with the anchor through a keyhole. Althoughthis device and technique is suitable for storing paired articles ofclothing, the adhesive fabric is not suitable to resist the shearing andcentrifugal forces that occur during a laundry process.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,779,076 discloses a metal connecting pin having aneyelet at one end and two elongated leg members extending longitudinallyin an opposing direction. The leg members are closely spaced andsomewhat flexible to retain paired socks therebetween while being hungfrom the eyelet along a clothesline. Although this device will retainthe paired socks together during a drying process, the paired socks caneasily become separated during the washing of the clothing during thelaundry process.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,673,639 discloses the use of a single-body claspingdevice that includes a head section having a narrower neck portion, anopposing end portion, and a body portion connected between the neckportion and the end portion. The body portion includes an opening formedtherein which is sufficiently large to admit the head portion. The endportion has a slot which is sized to receive only the neck portion andprevent passage there through of the head portion. A sock pair is laidacross the body portion and the head portion is inserted through thebody opening such that the neck portion slides through the slot toretain the sock pair together.

Other well known techniques for securing pairs of garments together bythe use of a “gun,” “stapler” or other type of machine areillustratively disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,950,901; 6,561,406;4,483,066; 3,880,339; 3,735,908; and 3,734,375. These mechanical devicesinsert filaments through the clothing to fasten them together. However,the force exerted by the mechanical devices to insert the filaments canoften damage the fabric material of the garments. Moreover, anindividual using the mechanical devices may be susceptible to injuryduring use of such mechanical devices.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an improved laundry fastenerthat can be easily inserted and pulled by hand through the fabric ofclothing without damaging the threads or fibers forming the clothes.Additionally, it is desirable to provide an inexpensive device formaintaining paired articles of clothing, such as socks, gloves ormittens together while being laundered to prevent the misplacement orloss thereof, and without the use of a gun, stapler or other mechanicaldevice to insert the filament into the garments. Moreover, it isdesirable to provide a laundry fastener that is user-friendly, reliable,is less costly to manufacture and maintain, and of significantly higherquality than is presently available.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The disadvantages associated with the prior art are overcome by thepresent invention which provides a laundry fastener to secure togetherpairs of clothing items or garments, such as socks, gloves or mittens,so that the pairs will not become separated during laundering or dryingprocesses and to provide ease in sorting clothing after laundering ordrying, as well as to prevent the pairs from becoming lost or separatedduring storage. The laundry fastener of the present invention securespairs of clothing or garments together by means of a filament, which iseasily manually inserted through the garments and without the need forcomplex mechanical devices.

In a preferred embodiment, an apparatus is provided for releasablyattaching at least two fabric items together. The apparatus can be usedas a laundry fastener that includes a base member and a first filamenthaving a first end, an opposing second end, and an intermediate portionformed between the opposing first and second ends. A second filament hasa first end attached to the base member and an opposing second end thatis detachably secured to the intermediate portion of the first filament.The second end of the second filament forms a pivotal hinge, such thatthe first and second filaments are movable relative to each other.

Prior to using the laundry fastener to temporarily retain the pairedgarments together, in one embodiment, the second end of the secondfilament is positioned substantially normal with respect to the secondend of the first filament in a first state. The hinge enables the firstfilament to be moved to a different position with respect to the secondfilament while the fastener is being inserted through the pairedgarments. In an embodiment, the second filament can be positionedsubstantially parallel to the first filament in a second state. Morespecifically, the second end of the second filament is positionedsubstantially parallel to the second end of the first filament in thesecond state.

Once the garments have been moved past the parallel positioned secondends of the first and second filaments, the resiliency of the filamentsbiases the second end of the second filament to return to its originalorientation which is substantially normal to the second end of the firstfilament, i.e., in a third state.

In one aspect of the present invention, the first filament is detachedat its intermediate portion from the hinge of the second filament in afourth state. The first end of the second filament can be fixedlysecured to the base member. Alternatively, the first end of the secondfilament is detachably secured to the base member, e.g., as by aweakened section that can be flexed and broken manually, therebyallowing the items to be slipped off the filament.

In an embodiment, the first and second filaments are generally round.Preferably, the first end of the first filament has a tapered tip, thesecond filament is a U-shaped filament, and the intermediate portion ispositioned closer to the second end of the first filament than to thefirst end of the first filament. Where the first and second garmentitems include a fabric weaved from a thread-like material, the base ispreferably dimensioned greater than the open weave of the fabric tothereby prevent the first end of the second filament from passingthrough the first and second items of garments.

In yet another embodiment, a method of detachably securing two or moregarments together using a laundry fastener is provided, where thelaundry fastener includes a base member, a first filament having a firstend, an opposing second end, and an intermediate portion formed betweenthe opposing first and second ends; a second filament having a first endattached to the base member, and an opposing second end being detachablysecured to the intermediate portion of the first filament, the secondend of the second filament being formed as a hinge, and wherein thefirst and second filaments are movable relative to each other. Themethod includes pairing a first garment with a second garment, the firstand second garments being fabricated from a fabric weave material;inserting the first end of the first filament through the fabric weavematerials of the paired garments; detaching the second end of the firstfilament from the base; sliding the first filament through the fabricweave materials to the intermediate portion of the first filament;moving the second ends of the first and second filaments together at thehinge, wherein the second end of the first filament and the second endof the second filament are substantially parallel; sliding the secondends of the first and second filaments through the fabric materialstoward the base; releasing the second ends of the first and secondfilaments, wherein second end of the first filament returns to aposition substantially normal to the second end of the second filamentto thereby lock the paired garments between the base, the second end ofthe second filament and the second end of the first filament.

In one aspect of the invention, the second end of the filament isdetached at the hinge from the intermediate portion of the firstfilament. The garments can then be slidably removed from the second endof the second filament. In another aspect of the invention, the firstend of the second filament is detached from the base member. Thegarments can then be slidably removed from the first end of the secondfilament. The base can optionally include design patterns and/or containa trademark or logo relating to the manufacture of the items to which itis attached and/or can be used to receive a price, size identifier, orother relevant information.

In yet another embodiment, an article of manufacture for detachablysecuring two or more items together includes a base member having atleast one socket, a first filament having a first end, an opposingsecond end, an intermediate portion formed between the opposing firstand second ends, a second filament having a first end attached to thebase member, and an opposing second end being secured to theintermediate portion of the first filament in a pivotal hinged relation.The first and second filaments are movable relative to each other,wherein the second end of the first filament is sized and configured forinsertion into and removal from a first socket of the at least onesocket.

In one aspect, the second end of the first filament has a bulbousend-portion. In another aspect, the first end of the second filament issized and configured for insertion into and removal from a second socketof the at least one socket. In yet another aspect, the first end of thesecond filament has a bulbous end-portion.

In further embodiments, the fastener of the present invention can beused to temporarily secure a plurality of fabric or textile itemstogether for retail sale and then be easily removed by the consumerafter purchase.

Additional objects and features of the invention will become apparentfrom the detailed description, which follows taken in conjunction withthe specification and the accompanying drawings in which a preferredembodiment is depicted for exemplification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The teachings of the present invention can be readily understood byconsidering the following detailed description in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1A depicts a side elevational view of an embodiment of a laundryfastener of the present invention suitable for retaining at least twogarments for laundering or other purpose;

FIG. 1B is an exploded view of a detachable hinge portion of the laundryfastener of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2 shows the free end portion of the laundry fastener of FIG. 1being inserted through the fabric of a pair of garments;

FIG. 3 shows the laundry fastener of FIG. 2 with the pair of garmentssecured on the fastener;

FIG. 4 shows the laundry fastener of FIG. 3 broken at the hinge inpreparation for removal of the pair of garments from the remainder ofthe fastener;

FIG. 5A depicts a side elevational view of another embodiment of alaundry fastener of the present invention suitable for retaining atleast two garments for laundering or other purpose;

FIG. 5B is an exploded view of a hinge portion and detachable filamentportion of the laundry fastener of FIG. 5A;

FIG. 6 shows the free end portion of the laundry fastener of FIG. 5being inserted through the fabric of a pair of garments;

FIG. 7 shows the laundry fastener of FIG. 6 with the pair of garmentssecured on the fastener; and

FIG. 8 shows the base member of the laundry fastener of FIG. 5 beingseparated from the remainder of the fastener in preparation for removalof the pair of garments.

To facilitate an understanding of the invention, the same referencenumerals have been used, when appropriate, to designate the same orsimilar elements that are common to the figures. Unless statedotherwise, the features shown in the figures are not drawn to scale, butare shown for illustrative purposes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a laundry fastener for retaining articles ofclothing together. The laundry fastener is especially suitable fortemporarily fastening paired garments, such as socks, mittens or glovestogether while conducting a laundry process. The laundry fastener isalso useful for temporarily fastening articles of clothing duringstorage thereof.

Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the laundry fastener 100 of the presentinvention illustratively comprises a base member 102, a first elongatedfilament 104 and a second elongated filament 112. The first filament 104is substantially linear in shape and includes opposing first and secondends 106 and 108. The second filament 112 is substantially U-shaped at118 and includes opposing first and second ends 114 and 116. A person ofordinary skill in the art will appreciate that variations in the shapeand/or size (i.e., configuration) of the second filament 112 can beprovided. For example, the second filament 112 can be oval, circular orany other curvilinear shape.

The first and second filaments 104 and 112 preferably have circularcross-sectional areas, although such circular shape is not considered asbeing limiting. The first filament 104 preferably has tapered or pointedtips at the opposing ends 106 and 108. Preferably, at least the firstend 106 has a pointed tip that can readily pierce or otherwise beinserted through the fabric weave of the garments. A person of ordinaryskill in the art will appreciate that such tapered shapes are notconsidered to be limiting. For example, the tips can be rounded or anyother shape that will diminish snagging of the fabric material of thegarments 130. The laundry fastener 100 is preferably fabricated byinjection molding from a flexible plastic material, such aspolyvinylchloride (PVC), or any other plastic material that has thecharacteristics of being lightweight, heat resistant, and waterresistant. Further, the first and second filaments 104 and 112 areresilient such when an external force is applied thereon they will flex,and then return substantially to their original shape when theapplication of the external force is removed.

The base member 102 is illustratively shaped as a pair of socks,although such shape is not considered as limiting. Rather, the basemember 102 can have any curvi-linear shape (e.g., spherical, oval,star-shaped, rectangular, and the like). The base member 102 is sizedgreater than the diameter of the first and second filaments 104 and 112.The larger sized base serves as a stop-member or anchor to preventpassage of the fabric material of an article of clothing past the firstend 114 of the second filament 112, as described in greater detail withrespect to FIG. 3.

In the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1A, the laundry fastener 100 has anoverall height of approximately 2.0-2.5 inches, where the base 102 hasan area of approximately 0.50-1.0 in² with a height of approximately 1.0inch, the first filament 104 has a length of 1.5 inches, and the heightfrom the first filament 104 to the top of the U-Shaped portion 118 ofthe second filament 112 is 1.75-2.0 inches. Preferably, the diameter ofthe first and second filaments 104 and 112 are approximately 1/32(0.031) inches. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciatethat the aforementioned dimensions are not considered limiting, as othercomponent dimensions can be readily provided.

Preferably, the first end 114 of the second filament 112 is fixedlyattached to the periphery of the base member 102. Alternatively, thefirst end 114 of the second filament 112 can be detachably coupled tothe periphery of the base member 102, as described with respect to FIG.4. Further, the second end 108 of the first filament 104 is detachablycoupled to the base member 102. Preferably, the tip of the second end108 of the first filament 104 and the first end 114 of the secondfilament 112 are integrally formed with the base member 102 during theinjection molding process for fabricating the laundry fastener 100. Thefirst end 106 extends radially outward from the base member 102. Thesecond end 116 of the second filament 112 is detachably coupled to anintermediate portion 110 located between the opposing ends 106 and 108of the first filament 104. The ends of each filament can be detachablysecured (i.e., attached) to each other and the base member by a flexibleportion of the plastic material forming the laundry fastener 100. Thisflexible portion is preferably thin and/or has a small diameter whichcan be separated by applying a shearing or normal force thereto by hand.

Referring to FIG. 1B, second end 116 of the second filament 112 ishinged to the intermediate portion 110 of the first filament 104. Thehinge 120 is detachable by applying a shearing and/or normal force tothe second end 116 of the second filament 112 with respect to theintermediate portion 110 of the first filament 104. The second end 108of the first filament 104 is attached at its tip (e.g., pointed end) tothe base member 102. The second end 108 is detachable from the basemember 102 by manually applying a shearing and/or normal force to thesecond end 108 of the first filament 104 with respect to the base member102. The detachment of the first and second filaments is described belowin further detail with respect to FIGS. 3 and 4. In one embodiment, theone or more points of detachment at the hinge 120 and/or ends of thefilaments 108, 114 are weakened areas.

Referring to FIG. 2, the second end 108 of the first filament 104 isillustratively shown detached from the base member 102. Further, theopposing first end 106 of the first filament 104 is illustratively shownbeing inserted through the fabric material of a pair of socks. The firstend 106 is preferably tapered or pointed to prevent damage to the fabricmaterial of the garments. The garments (i.e., pair of socks) are movedalong the length of the first filament 104 from the first end 106 to theintermediate portion 110 as shown by arrow “A”. The final position forthe pair of socks is between the opposing ends 114 and 116 of the secondfilament 112, and is preferably positioned along the U-shaped portion118 of the fastener 100, as shown in FIG. 3.

Referring again to FIG. 2, as the first end 106 of the first filament104 is moved through the fabric of the paired clothing 130, second endregion 116 of the second filament 112 moves downward at the hinge 120along the path designated with arrow “B”, so that the second filament112 is substantially parallel with the first filament 104. The pairedgarments 130 are then pushed (and/or the first end 106 of the firstfilament 104 is pulled) past the intermediate portion 110 and over thesecond end 116 of the second filament 112 and the second end 108 of thefirst filament 104. This push/pull process continues until the secondend 108 of the first filament 104 is completely through the pairedgarments 130. The garments 130 can then be slid along the secondfilament 112 as shown by arrow “C” to, for example, the U-Shaped portion118.

Referring to FIG. 3, the paired garments 130 are shown positioned alongthe U-shaped portion 118 of the second filament 112. Further, theresilient U-shaped filament 112 and first filament 104 both return(i.e., arrow “D”) to their original orientation at the hinge 120, suchthat the second end 116 of the second filament 112 is substantiallyperpendicular to the first filament 104. In this manner, the pairedgarments 130 are locked between the base member 102, the U-shaped secondfilament 112 and the second end 108 of the first filament 104. Thesecured pair of socks or other garments can now be laundered, dried,sorted or stored with ease, and without the pair becoming separated orlost.

Referring to FIG. 4, to remove the laundry fastener 100 from thegarments 130, the first filament 104 is separated (arrow “E”) from thehinge 120 at the second filament 112. In particular, the hinge 120 canbe separated by applying a shearing and/or normal force to the secondend 116 of the second filament 112 with respect to the intermediateportion 110 of the first filament 104. Once the first filament 104 isseparated from the second filament 112, the garments 130 can be removed(e.g., pulled through) from the second filament 112 of the laundryfastener along the path designated by arrow “F”.

In an alternative embodiment, the first end 114 of the second filament112 can be detached from the base 102 instead of the detachment at thehinge 120. The detachment at the base is provided by applying a shearingand/or normal force to the first end 114 of the second filament 112 withrespect to the base member 102. Once the first filament 104 is separatedfrom the base member 102, the garments 130 can be removed (e.g., pulledthrough) from the second filament 112 of the laundry fastener along thepath designated by arrow “G”. The base member 102 and first filament 104of the laundry fastener can then be discarded.

The hand held fastener of the present invention can be used for securinga pair of socks, gloves or any other garment that is often found inpairs together so that they do not become lost or separated duringstorage or especially during a laundering process. Advantageously,machine devices are not required to force a filament through articles ofclothing to secure them together have long been utilized. Rather, thelaundry fastener that can be easily inserted and pulled (or pushed)manually by hand through the fabric of clothing without damaging thethreads or fibers (i.e., fabric weave) forming the cloths. Additionally,the laundry fastener of the present invention is user-friendly,reliable, is less costly to manufacture and maintain, and ofsignificantly higher quality than presently available products.

Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, another embodiment of the laundry fastener500 of the present invention is illustratively shown. The laundryfastener 500 comprises a base member 102, a first elongated filament 104and a second elongated filament 112 as described above with respect toFIGS. 1-4. The laundry fastener 500 is the same as the laundry fastener100 of the previous embodiments, except that the second end 108 of thefirst filament 104 and/or the first end 114 of the second filament 112are detachably coupled to the base member 102 in a manner so that thelaundry fastener 500 can be reused again, for example, during anotherlaundry process. Specifically, the second end 108 of the first filament104 and the first end 114 of the second filament 112 are not integrallyformed with the base member 102. Rather, the ends 108, 114 are and basemember 102 configured in a male/female connector or socket/connectorarrangement.

In one aspect of the present invention, the base member 102 includes afirst bore or socket 502 sized and configured to receive the second end108 of the first filament 104 in a snap-fit, socket-like arrangement. Inone embodiment, the second end 108 of the first filament 104 includes abulbous end 504 sized and configured to be detachably inserted into andout of the socket 502. Although the second end 108 of the first filament104 is illustratively described as being bulbous in shape, such shape isnot considered as limiting. For example, the second end 108 can becircular, rectilinear, triangular and/or any other shape or keyedconfiguration that can be tightly or snugly snap-fitted and retained inthe socket 502 by at least frictional forces. Accordingly, the secondend 108 of the first filament 104 can be repeatably attached to anddetached from the first socket 502 of the base member 102 to permit thefirst and second filaments 104, 112 to be inserted through the fabricmaterial of the items of clothing 130 as described above.

In another aspect, the base member 102 includes a second bore or socket506 sized and configured to receive the first end 114 of the secondfilament 112 in a snap-fit, socket-like arrangement. Preferably, thefirst end 114 of the second filament 112 includes a bulbous end-portion508 that is sized and configured to be inserted into a second bore orsocket 506 formed in the base member 102 in a snap-fit, socket-likearrangement. As described above, the first end 114 of the secondfilament 112 can be circular, rectilinear, triangular and/or any othershape or keyed configuration that can be tightly or snugly snap-fittedand retained in the socket 506 by at least frictional forces.Accordingly, the first end 114 of the second filament 112 can berepeatably attached to and detached from the second socket 506 of thebase member 102 to permit the removal of the second filament 112 fromthe fabric material of the items of clothing 130 as described above withrespect to FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 6, the free end portion 106 of the laundry fastener500 is illustratively shown being inserted through the fabric of a pairof garments 130. In particular, the first end 108 (e.g., bulbousend-portion 504) of the second filament 104 is detached from the firstbore 502 formed in the base member 102. The first and second filaments104 and 112 are inserted through the pair of garments 130 in a similarmanner described above with respect to FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 7, the paired garments 130 are shown positioned alongthe U-shaped portion 118 of the second filament 112. Once the pair ofgarments 130 are retained along the second filament 112 between the basemember 102 and the first filament 104 as described above with respect toFIG. 3, the first end 108 (e.g., bulbous end-portion 504) of the secondfilament 104 is inserted into the first bore 502 formed in the basemember 102 and retained therein by a snap-fit configuration and/orfrictional forces therebetween.

Removal of the garment fastener 500 can be performed in a reverseoperation or path along which the garment fastener 500 was insertedthough the fabric material of the garments. Specifically, removal of thegarment fastener 500 can be performed by detaching the second end 108 ofthe first filament 104 from the first socket 502 and sliding the fabricmaterial over the first and second filaments, across the hinge 120 andthen over the free end 106 of the second filament. The second end 108 ofthe first filament 104 can then be reinserted into the first socket 502of the base member 102 for future use.

Referring to FIG. 8, removal of the garment fastener 500 canalternatively be performed by detaching the first end 114 of the secondfilament 112 from the second socket 506 as shown by arrow “H”, andsliding the fabric material over the first end 114 of the secondfilament 112 as shown by arrow “I”. The base member 102 can then bereinserted into the first end 114 of the second filament 112 for useagain, illustratively during another laundry process.

Although various embodiments that incorporate the teachings of thepresent invention have been shown and described in detail herein, thoseskilled in the art can readily devise many other and varied embodimentsthat incorporate these teachings, and the scope of the invention is tobe determined by the claims that follow.

1. An article of manufacture for detachably securing two or more itemstogether comprising: a base member; a first filament having a first end,an opposing second end, and an intermediate portion formed between theopposing first and second ends; and a second filament having a first endattached to the base member, and an opposing second end being detachablysecured to the intermediate portion of the first filament in a pivotalhinged relation, wherein the first and second filaments are movablerelative to each other.
 2. The article of claim 1, wherein the secondend of the second filament is positioned substantially normal to thesecond end of the first filament in a first state.
 3. The article ofclaim 2, wherein the second filament is moveable to a position that issubstantially parallel to the first filament in a second state.
 4. Thearticle of claim 3, wherein the second end of the second filament ismoveable to a position that is substantially parallel to the second endof the first filament in a second state.
 5. The article of claim 3,wherein the second end of the second filament is moveable to a positionthat is substantially normal with respect to the second end of the firstfilament in a third state.
 6. The article of claim 5, wherein the firstfilament is detached at its intermediate portion from the hinge of thesecond filament in a fourth state.
 7. The article of claim 1, whereinthe first and second filaments are generally round.
 8. The article ofclaim 1 wherein the first end of the first filament has a tapered tip.9. The article of claim 1 wherein the second filament is U-shaped. 10.The article of claim 1 wherein the intermediate portion is positionedcloser to the second end of the first filament than to the first end ofthe first filament.
 11. The article of claim 1 wherein the items includea fabric woven from a thread-like material, said base being dimensionedgreater than the fabric weave to thereby prevent the first end of thesecond filament from passing through the first and second items ofgarments.
 12. The article of claim 1 wherein the first end of the secondfilament is detachably secured to the base member.
 13. The article ofclaim 1 wherein the first end of the second filament is fixedly securedto the base member.
 14. The article of claim 1 which is integrallymolded from a resilient polymeric material.
 15. The article of claim 1in which one or more points of detachment of the filaments are weakenedareas.
 16. An article of manufacture for detachably securing two or moreitems together comprising: a base member having at least one socket; afirst filament having a first end, an opposing second end, and anintermediate portion formed between the opposing first and second ends;and a second filament having a first end attached to the base member,and an opposing second end being secured to the intermediate portion ofthe first filament in a pivotal hinged relation, wherein the first andsecond filaments are movable relative to each other, wherein the secondend of the first filament is sized and configured for insertion into andremoval from a first socket of said at least one socket.
 17. The articleof claim 16 wherein the second end of the first filament has a bulbousend-portion.
 18. The article of claim 16 wherein the first end of thesecond filament is sized and configured insertion into and removal froma second socket of said at least one socket.
 19. The article of claim 18wherein the first end of the second filament has a bulbous end-portion.20. A method of detachably securing a pair of garments together using alaundry fastener, the laundry fastener including a base member; a firstfilament having a first end, an opposing second end, and an intermediateportion formed between the opposing first and second ends; a secondfilament having a first end attached to the base member, and an opposingsecond end being detachably secured to the intermediate portion of thefirst filament, said second end of the second filament being formed as ahinge, and wherein the first and second filaments are movable relativeto each other, said method comprising: pairing a first garment with asecond garment, the first and second garments being fabricated from awoven fabric material; inserting the first end of the first filamentthrough the fabric of the paired garments; detaching the second end ofthe first filament from the base; sliding the first filament through thefabric to the intermediate portion of the first filament; moving thesecond ends of the first and second filaments together at the hinge,wherein the second end of the first filament and the second end of thesecond filament are substantially parallel; sliding the second ends ofthe first and second filaments through the fabric toward the base;releasing the second ends of the first and second filaments, wherein thesecond end of the first filament returns to a position substantiallynormal to the second end of the second filament to thereby secure thepaired garments between the base, the second end of the second filamentand the second end of the first filament.
 21. The method of claim 20further comprising the step of detaching the second end of the filamentat the hinge from the intermediate portion of the first filament. 22.The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of slidably removingthe paired garments from the second end of the second filament.
 23. Themethod of claim 20 further comprising the step of detaching the firstend of the second filament from the base member.
 24. The method of claim23 further comprising the step of slidably removing the paired garmentsfrom the first end of the second filament.
 25. The method of claim 20,wherein the base member includes one or more sockets, the second end ofthe first filament being sized and configured for removable insertioninto a first of the one or more sockets, and wherein the step ofdetaching the second end of the first filament from the base comprisesapplying a substantially normal force to remove the second end of thefirst filament from the first socket.
 26. The method of claim 25 whereinthe first end of the second filament is sized and configured forremovable insertion into a second of the one or more sockets, the methodfurther comprising the step of detaching the first end of the secondfilament from the base by applying a substantially normal force toremove the first end of the second filament from the second socket.